The Chinese government On Thursday donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and supplies for demining efforts at a ceremony presided over by Foreign Affairs Minister Hor Namhong.
“Today, China will provide supplies worth $250,000 to Cambodia and provide $200,000 including equipment costing $50,000 to ARMAC,” the Asean Regional Mine Action Center, said Chinese Ambassador Bu Jianguo at a signing ceremony at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Phnom Penh.
Among the tools donated to the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) were deep search detectors, demining kits and protection equipment. Prak Sokhon, first vice president of CMAA, said the support was timely and important.
According to Mr. Sokhon, 64,561 Cambodians have died from land mines and UXO since 1979.
“It will take $36 million per year for the next 10 years to clear them all,” he said. Mr. Sokhon said only 110 people were killed or injured by land mines this year, compared to 4,320 in 1996.
